| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa North |
| Militias stream into Libyan capital, Tripoli |
| 2014-05-23 |
| [Iran Press TV] Libya's militia forces have poured into the capital, Tripoli ...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn... , amid a standoff with forces loyal to renegade General Khalifa Haftar. The militias, known as Libya Central Shield, are composed of groups from the northwestern city of Misrata, and are under the command of the country's chief of staff, who answers to parliament. A power struggle has broken out between rival bad boy groups who are flexing muscles against each other in the capital Tripoli. On Thursday, Libya's government called on all forces of Evil in Tripoli to withdraw from the city. The government has also proposed an initiative to save the country from plunging into civil war. In an open letter published on the government's website, Tripoli called on the parliament to "take a recess after the vote on the 2014 budget and until new parliamentary elections" are held within three months. On Sunday, forces loyal to Haftar stormed the parliament building in the heart of Tripoli. They also launched an air operation against bad boy hideouts in Benghazi on May 16. Libyan authorities accused Haftar of trying to mount a coup. In a joint statement released on May 17, the army, government and parliament warned that the May 16 raid is considered "an action outside state legitimacy and a coup d'état." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #4 It's been a month or two since I looked in on Strategy Page. Guess it's time to go back. Thanks, Squinty! |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2014-05-23 20:48 |
| #3 A good read. " One motivation for Hiftar was the growing strength of Islamic terrorist groups. Islamic conservatives, radicals and terrorists were well enough organized to prevent the GNC (General National Congress) from creating a new government that controlled the entire country. The Islamic politicians were a minority in the GNC but very active and disruptive. The GNC was originally formed in mid-2012 to create a new constitution for the country to vote on and rule until that was done. At the end of 2013 the deadlocked GNC extended its power for another year. The separatist activity in the east prevented any national vote and that had to be dealt with before a constitution could be completed and approved. The various factions in the GNC could not agree on much, although there was a consensus that the new constitution would use Islamic (Sharia) law. This was an effort to placate the many Islamic conservative groups. This made local Christians (native Copts, who have been Christian and present for 2,000 years and are five percent of the population) nervous. The GNC is now being defended by Islamic radical and terrorist militias and some tribal and more secular groups. In Tripoli the GNC has long depended on the LROR (Libyan Revolutionary Operations Room) militia coalition to defend it against hostile militias. The GNC also has the support of most Islamic radical groups, the largest of which is Ansar al Sharia in Benghazi. This group was responsible for the 2012 attack that killed the American ambassador. Many of the militias in Misrata (east of Tripoli) militias support GNC, but many back Hiftar or are neutral. " |
| Posted by: Squinty 2014-05-23 13:42 |
| #2 Now would be the time to take Misrata. |
| Posted by: Pappy 2014-05-23 12:50 |
| #1 If Haftar's aim was a coup d'état then those guys wouldn't be around to make joint statements. |
| Posted by: Squinty 2014-05-23 10:30 |